Water boiled fish (Shui zhu yu)

A healthier alternative to frying fish in oil, this water-boiled fish is full of fiery flavour from chillies and Sichuan peppercorns. In Sichuan restaurants, a whole fish is typically used in this popular dish – this recipe adapts it for the home, using cut fish.

• serves

  4

• prep

  20 minutes

• cook

  20 minutes

• difficulty

  Mid

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Ingredients

• 400 g barramundi, cut into 1 cm thick slices
• 1 tbsp Shaoxing wine
• 1 tbsp cornstarch
• 185 ml (¾ cup) vegetable oil
• 1 tbsp Sichuan peppercorns
• 10 dried red chillies
• 2 cups enoki mushrooms
• 4 garlic cloves, sliced
• 2 cm piece ginger, peeled and sliced
• 4 spring onions, cut into 4 cm lengths
• 2 tbsp doubanjiang chilli paste
• 1 tsp Korean chilli powder
• 500 ml (2 cups) boiling water or fish stock
• salt, to season
• 1 tsp sugar
• ¼ cup chopped coriander, to serve

Instructions

1. Combine the barramundi, Shaoxing wine and cornstarch in a shallow dish and set aside.
2. Heat 60 ml (¼ cup) oil in a small wok over medium high heat. Fry the Sichuan peppercorns and chillies until fragrant, being careful not to burn them. Remove from the wok and set aside.
3. Add a little more oil to the wok and place over high heat. Add the enoki mushrooms and stir fry just until tender. Remove and place in a large shallow serving bowl.
4. Add another drizzle of oil to the wok. Add the garlic, ginger, spring onions, chilli paste and chilli powder and toss over high heat until fragrant. Add the boiling water or stock and bring to a simmer. Add the fish pieces, reduce the heat to low and simmer gently for a few minutes or until the fish is just cooked through.
5. Remove the fish from the wok and place on top of the mushrooms. Return the soup to a simmer, add the sugar and check the seasoning. Pour the soup over the fish and scatter with the fried chillies and peppercorns.
6. Heat the remaining vegetable oil in a small saucepan until just smoking. Pour the oil over the soup, scatter with coriander and serve immediately.

 

Photography by Adam Liaw.

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Cook's Notes

Oven temperatures are for conventional; if using fan-forced (convection), reduce the temperature by 20˚C. | We use Australian tablespoons and cups: 1 teaspoon equals 5 ml; 1 tablespoon equals 20 ml; 1 cup equals 250 ml. | All herbs are fresh (unless specified) and cups are lightly packed. | All vegetables are medium size and peeled, unless specified. | All eggs are 55-60 g, unless specified.

Stream free On Demand

Hot and Spicy

Watch The Full Episode Here

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Watch The Full Episode Here

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